This essay argues that "displacement" alone is an inadequate concept; a better formulation centers on the deflection of crime from a target. Some patterns of deflected crime can be regarded as "benign" displacement; others can be viewed as "malign." Under this perspective, deflection can be viewed as a policy tool to achieve a more "desirable" crime pattern. Such a strategy is already used by insurance companies with a commercial motive. Better information systems are required to show displacement or deflection and to assist in monitoring the distribution of crime in space and over time. Patterns of criminal activity and victimization can be viewed as an outcome of conscious and unconscious decisions by the public, politicians, and the police. These patterns are not immutable; and alternative policies, incorporating an understanding of crime deflection, may produce new, less harmful, victimization patterns. 1 table, 3 figures, 75 references. (Author abstract modified)